Yudhishthira said Welcome to you, Devaki's son and Dhananjaya, highly agreeable to me is the pleasure of you too, O Arjuna, O Achyuta.

Thought yourselves are not wounded by your enemies, you two, who are his enemies, have killed the mighty Karna.

Who was like a deadly serpent in battle, an adept in all weapons, the leader of all the sons of Dhritarashtra, may the very warder of their armour and coats of mail;

Who was protected by the great archers Vrishasena and Sushena; highly energetic, powerful and taught by Rama (himself) the use of arms;

Who was the head of all the world and most celebrated car-warrior, who was the saviour of Dhritarashtra's sons and who led the van of the army;

Who was the destroyer of others' armies and the oppressor of the enemies and was bent upon doing Duryodhana a good turn and afflicting us;

Who was irrepressible even unto the gods headed by Vasava in a great battle and was like unto fire and wind in energy and strength;

Who was unfathomable like the nether region and an increaser of the joy of friends, he was like Death incarnate to his enemies. By good luck, having slain that Karna in the great battle you come here like the immortals after vanquishing the demons.

O Achyuta, O Arjuna, a great encounter took place today between myself setting forth my best energies and that hero who appeared like Death incarnate bent upon destroying all creatures.

By him my standard was cut down, my two Parshni drivers were killed and I was made horseless and carless in the very presence of Yuyudhana, Dhristadyumna, the twins, the heroic Shikhandin the son of Drupada and all the Panchalas.

O you of mighty arms, having vanquished them all and many others of his enemies the highly powerful Karna, defeated me in that great battle although I tried my very best to withstand him.

Forsooth pursuing me on all the sides and defeating all my allies in that battle that foremost of warriors addressed to me many harsh words.

It is through Bhima's power that I do still survive, O Dhananjaya; what more need I say? The humiliation is indeed too much for me.

O Dhananjaya, through fear of him, I have not slept in the night nor have I enjoyed comfort in the day for these thirteen years.

O Dhananjaya, I am burning with hatred against him. Conscious of my days being numbered I avoided Karna, like the bird Vaddrinasa. I approached him as if bent on my own destruction. Awake or asleep I spent my days only in thinking how I would accomplish Karna's death.

Even while awake, O Arjuna, I see his illusion (of Karna) and it seems as if the whole universe is filled with Karna.

Wherever I go, O Dhananjaya, in fear of Karna, everywhere I see his image before me.

O Partha, with my horses and cars I was vanquished by Karna, who never retreats from the battle-field. He simply let me go with my life.

Of what use is life and kingdom to me, since Karna, the beauty of the battle-field, has defied and ridiculed me.

I had never undergone such humiliation in battle even from Bhishma, Kripa, or Drona, as I have today at the hands of the son of Suta the mighty charioteer.

Therefore it is that I ask you today, O son of Kunti, about your welfare. Relate to me in detail how you slew Karna today.

He was in battle like Sakra himself and in prowess like Yama and like Rama in arins. How has he been killed then?

He was a mighty charioteer and wellknown for being an adept in all the forms of warfare, he was the foremost of archers and the leader of all.

O prince, he was respected by Dhritarashtra himself as well as by his sons for you alone. How has then of Radha been killed by today?

O Arjuna, O foremost of men, in all the battles Karna was regarded by Dhritarashtra's sons as your death.

How have you then, O most powerful of men, killed him in battle? Describe to me, O son of Kunti, how Karna has been slain by you.

How did you cut-off his head, O most mighty one, as a tiger pieces off the head of a Ruru deer, while he was fighting, even in presence of all his allies?

Does the wicked Karna lic today on the naked earth killed with your keen Kankafeathered arrows-Karna, the son of Suta, who used to search all the quarters for you and who had promised to give a car with six elephantine bulls to him who would point you out? Indeed by killing him in battle you have performed a work highly congenial to me.

How did you encounter and kill in battle that well-honored hero, that proud and haughty son of Suta who used to search you everywhere in the battle-field.

Have you, O brother, really slain in battle the vicious scoundrel who was ever ready to challenge you and to give away to others a superb golden chariot along with bulls, steeds and elephants provided they could give him some clue to you?

Have you, indeed, slain that favourite of Suyodhana who, being elated with the pride of chivalry, ever used to indulge in selfglorification amidst the assembly of the Kurus?

Does the scoundrel lie low on the battlefield today being mangled all over the body with long-ranging blood-besmeared shafts hurled by you from your bow. Could you break in twin the arms of Dhritarashtra's sons?

Could you baffle the foolish braggings he used to make amidst the assembly of kings simply to soothe Duryodhana, saying, I will kill Phalguna?

Have you, O son of Indra, slain in today's battle the dull-headed Karna, the son Suta, who had taken an oath not to wash his feet till Partha breathed?

That designing Karna who amidst the assembly of the Kuru chiefs had said to Krishna 'why don't you, O Krishna, desert the powerless, imbecile and degraded Pandavas'-that Karna who had vowed solemnly that he would not return from the field till he slew (both) Krishna and Partha-tell me does that vicious Karna lie today on the field with mangled limbs?

You do full well remember how hotly the battle raged when the Srinjayas and the Kaurava's faced each other-the encounter in which I was brought to such a sad plight. Did you come face to face with Karna and shoot him down?

Have you today, O Savyasachin, severed that ear-ring bedecked splendid head of Karna off from his body with your fiery shafts discharged from the Gandiva.

O valiant one, afflicted with Karna's shafts today how I thought of you (that you would slay him)! Have you put that thought of mine to action by slaying Karna?

Being under the aegis of Karna the proud Suyodhana cared us not a jot. Have you by your might removed that aegis?

Did you encounter him in the field and settle with that wretched wight, the son of Suta, who had even before the assembly of the Kauravas likened us to sesame seeds devoid of Kernel;

That unrighteous son of Suta who had, grinning all the while, ordered Dusvashanta to drag out Jagyasena's daughter won by Subala's son (as a stake) at dice;

That dull-headed Karna who had upbraided the foremost warrior in the course of the tale of Rathas and Atirathas?

O Phalguna, that you have met with and slain that Karna in battle and thereby quench the flame of vindictiveness blazing within my heart being fanned by the wind of mortification. Assure me,

Tell me, therefore, how you slew the son of Suta. O hero, I have so long been expecting you even as the divine Vishnu had awaited the arrival of Indra to bring him the news of Vritra's death.